Bracelet with plurality of interchangeable coupling members for varying the length thereof

ABSTRACT

A watch bracelet comprises a pair of bands and a coupling member, for example loop-shaped, chosen from a set of coupling members of different dimensions. Two free ends of the band are provided with means for releasably and interchangeably fixing a chosen coupling member to the bands to form a bracelet of given length.

United States Patent Broido [451 June 13, 1972 [54] BRACELET WITH PLURALITY OF 2,540,522 2/1951 Homerin ..63/3 12115;; 21:22; 511121; "611212;: MEMBERS FOR VARYING THE 3,417,578 12/1968 Anderson ..63/5 R LENGTH THEREOF 1,130,405 3/1915 Jeffery et al.... 63/5 R UX 2,451,397 10/1948 Marquardt ..63/3 UX [72] Inventor: Jacques Broldo, l8 Chemm Challendia,

Geneva, Switzerland FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Sept. 29, 1970 813,587 3/1937 France ..63/3

7,201 3/1913 Great Britain.. [21] Appl. No.: 76,432 99,022 3/ 1923 Switzerland ..24/265 RL 30 F A D m Primary EvaminerF. Barry Shay orelgn pp Ion '0" y a Attorney-Emory L. Grofi' and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

Oct. 16, 1969 Switzerland ..15579/69 [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl ..63/3, 24/73 ES, 24/265 RL, A watch bracelet comprises a pair of bands and a coupling 63/5 R member, for example loop-shaped, chosen from a set of [5 Int. .A44c coupling members of different dimensions Two free ends of [58] Field ofSearch .;.....63/3,5, 11, 15.45, 15.65, the band are provided with means for releasably and in- 63/ 15.7, 6; 24/265 RL, 23 B, 73 ES terchangeably fixing a chosen coupling member to the bands to form a bracelet of given length. 56 R f C't d 1 e erences l e 5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS .lohnstone ..63/1 1 X PATENTEDJUN 13 m2 3 668 890 INVENTOR JACQUES B12011 0 BY WW' ATTORNEY BRACELET WITH PLURALITY OF INTERCHANGEABLE COUPLING MEMBERS FOR VARYING THE LENGTH THEREOF The present invention relates to bracelets, particularly but not exclusively for watches, having two free ends able to be united by a coupling piece.

In certain known watch bracelets, two straps articulated on the lugs are provided with a buckle for joining to the size of the wearers wrist. These buckles are rather expensive, inaesthetic, and additionally for leather or synthetic straps the prong always penetrates in the same hole which is deformed, becomes enlarged and frequently causes breakage of the bracelet.

In metallic bracelets, it is necessary to provide means for adjustment of the length to the periphery of the wearers wrist. This is achieved either by providing the bracelet with an adjustable clasp, or by providing the bracelet itself in different dimensions, or even by providing the bracelet in several removable parts certain of which can be removed upon purchase to obtain the desired length.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bracelet, the manufacture of which is economical because it is not necessary to provide models of different dimensions, and the setting of the length of which is effected in a very simple manner without having to resort to an adjustable buckle of complicated construction nor necessitating a special adjustment operation by the salesman.

According to the main aspect of the invention, there is provided a bracelet comprising at least one band and a coupling member of chosen dimensions, the band or hands having two free ends each provided with means for releasably fixing the member to the band or bands to form a bracelet of a given length.

The accompanying drawings show, schematically and by way of example, several embodiments and variants of the bracelets according to the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a first embodiment;

FIGS. la and lb are detailed views showing the joint between the free ends of the bracelet bands by two coupling members of different dimensions;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the bracelet according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a third embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross section of the bracelet according to FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 6a to 6d show variants of coupling members for bracelets according to the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

The bracelet shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two bands I articulated in conventional manner to the lugs of a watch 2. To close this bracelet, the known-type buckle is replaced by a coupling member 3. This member 3 is a rectangular loop which hooks onto two bent'around parts 4 at the two free ends of the bands. To facilitate hooking, the bent around parts 4 are extended by a retaining lip 5 articulated to a small hinge 6. To hook the coupling member, this lip is lifted up and the member 3 is thus guided to engage in the bent around part 4. The coupling members 3 can have various shapes and dimensions: round, square, rectangular, oval, figure of eight, and so on, as shown in FIGS. 6a to 6d. The length of these members is chosen in a manner such that the length of the closed bracelet corresponds to the thickness of the wearer's arm. The bracelet bands shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are preferably made of a hard and radially elastically deformable material, such as metal or hard plastic.

In the bracelet shown in FIG. 3, the coupling member is formed of a plate 10 having two slots 11 into which hook the two curved ends of the bracelet, as previously described. This plate 10 may be engraved with the wearers initials or carry fuller information, such as name, christian narne, blood group, Rhesus factor, and so on. In this embodiment, the two bands of the bracelet are also, as previous] made of a hard material. In the embodiment shown in F165. 4 and 5, the bands are supple, of leather or PVC, for example. The coupling member is held by a turned over end of the band, and removably fixed by means of a press button. For bands of plastic material, the press button can be made in one piece with the bands.

In this embodiment, the coupling members can also have various shapes and dimensions, their length being chosen in a manner such that the bracelet can be exactly adapted to the size of the wearers wrist.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the coupling member 20 is formed of two rods 21 having spherical extremities 22 at either end which are made to penetrate into drop-shaped recesses 23 in a cylindrically folded-over part 24 of the free ends of the bracelet hands. This member can comprise any number of rods and will be manufactured and supplied in different lengths so that the bracelet can be exactly adapted to the wearers wrist.

According to a variant of the embodiment conforming to FIG. 3, the plate 10 could have a series of parallel slots 11, the length of this plate being sufficient to enable fixation of the bracelet for a maximum given length. When the bracelet has to be adjusted to a lesser dimension, it is possible to cut off a part of the plate to give it the desired length. This plate need not necessarily be of metal; it could, for example, be of leather, fabric or of plastic material.

I claim:

1. The combination of a bracelet comprising at least one band of fixed dimension and a set of coupling members of mutually different dimensions, spaced coupling means on each said coupling member, the spacing thereof corresponding to said dimension of the respective coupling member, the at least one band having two free ends each provided with means cooperable with said coupling means for releasably and interchangeably fixing any chosen one of said members to the at least one band to form a bracelet of a given length.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which one said coupling member is in the form of a loop, and the means at said free ends each comprise a bent over part for hookingly engaging the loop shaped coupling member.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which one said coupling member is a plate and its coupling means comprise slots, and the said free ends each have a bent over part for hookably engaging a said slot of said one coupling member.

4. The combination of claim 2, in which one said coupling member comprises at least one rod with its coupling means comprising protruding parts at the ends thereof, and the means at the said free ends each comprise at least one recess for housing said protruding part of said one coupling member.

1 5. The combination of claim 2, in which the bent over parts each have an articulated catch comprising a retaining lip. 

1. The combination of a bracelet comprising at least one band of fixed dimension and a set of coupling members of mutually different dimensions, spaced coupling means on each said coupling member, the spacing thereof corresponding to said dimension of the respective coupling member, the at least one band having two free ends each provided with means cooperable with said coupling means for releasably and interchangeably fixing any chosen one of said members to the at least one band to form a bracelet of a given length.
 2. The combination of claim 1, in which one said coupling member is in the form of a loop, and the means at said free ends each comprise a bent over part for hookingly engaging the loop shaped coupling member.
 3. The combination of claim 1, in which one said coupling member is a plate and its coupling means comprise slots, and the said free ends each have a bent over part for hookably engaging a said slot of said one coupling member.
 4. The combination of claim 2, in which one said coupling member comprises at least one rod with its coupling means comprising protruding parts at the ends thereof, and the means at the said free ends each comprise at least one recess for housing said protruding part of said one coupling member.
 5. The combination of claim 2, in which the bent over parts each have an articulated catch comprising a retaining lip. 